Monday, April 30, 2012

What’s Really In Your Lamb Doner Kebab?

Doner kebabs may originate from a predominantly
Muslim country - but Muslims who eat them in Britain may be unwittingly eating
pork, a report has warned.

Undercover trading standards officers who carried
out investigations into 20 restaurants and take-aways found that none of the lamb
kebabs tested contained just lamb as stated - and that four of the lamb curries
didn’t contain any lamb at all.

They found that suppliers were bulking out the
Turkish dish with cheaper meats like pork, chicken, and beef in a bid to
increase profits while customers were told they were getting 100% lamb with
their pitta, salad, and chilli sauce. Some even claimed to be Halal.

Of the 19 lamb curries tested at kebab shops picked
at random in Stratford upon Avon, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton and Rugby, only three
contained just lamb. Most contained a mixture of lamb padded out with pork, beef
or poultry.

Officers from Warwickshire County Council trading
standards also found that 70% of the lamb kebabs contained high levels of
artificial colouring - which can cause health problems. One kebab contained 18
times the safe level of colouring, and another was 13 times higher.

As well as revealing how kebab shops were ripping
off customers, officers said the findings would cause concern for people who
don’t eat certain meats for religious or health reasons.

Warwickshire County councillor Richard Hobbs, who after checking does actually have the bizarre title 'portfolio holder for community safety', said: “Consumers rely on accurate food
descriptions. Some foods are not permitted to be eaten by some religions and
cultures, whilst some people may wish to avoid some foods because of allergy
concerns.

“Consumers should also have the confidence that if
they are buying an expensive product such as lamb, that they are not getting
chicken instead, a meat that is half the price.”

It follows a nationwide study into doner kebabs by food
standard officers two years ago which found "shocking" levels of saturated
fat and salt, false labelling of meat and, on average, nearly 1,000 calories
per doner - or half a woman's recommended daily intake.

Six of the kebabs tested contained pork. Two of
these even claimed to be Halal. More than a third contained a different animal from
that on the label. In 15% of the samples, undeclared beef was found, and in 12%
undeclared chicken.

:: My new book 'Down And Out In Padstow And London'about my disastrous attempt to train as a chef, including stints at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, Rick Stein's and other restaurants, is available as a paperback and eBook on Amazon CLICK HERE

About Alex Watts

Author of bestselling food and travel book Down And Out In South East Asia - an adventure story, spiked with a heavy dose of backpacker noir, through the eateries, street food stalls, and hazy bars of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Available as an eBook and a paperback.

It's the sequel to Down And Out In Padstow And London - a humorous account of the years I spent training as a chef, including stints at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck and Rick Stein's kitchens in Cornwall. Available as an eBook and paperback.